Latest iteration of Japanese SUV gets maximum safety score, making it the fourth generation of the nameplate to do so.

The 2019 Subaru Forester has been awarded top marks by independent crash-testing authority, ANCAP, in the firm's latest round of scoring.

"The Forester scored full points for the physical protection of child occupants in both side and frontal impact tests," said James Goodwin, CEO for ANCAP.

"It is also equipped with an active safety system which can intervene to avoid a crash when a lane change is made in error."

"It is encouraging to see brands like Subaru prioritising and progressively increasing safety for its customers," he continued.

"We are continually increasing the standards required for new vehicles to achieve 5 stars to provide the marketplace with the safest vehicles possible.”

Across the four main areas of assessment, the Forester scored 94 per cent for Adult Occupant Protection, 86 per cent for Child Occupant Protection, 80 per cent for Vulnerable Road Users, and 78 per cent for Safety Assist systems.

The 2019-stamped five-star rating applies to all variants of the Forester sold in Australia and New Zealand, which feature low- and high-speed autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist with lane departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring as standard equipment.

Subaru has now achieved a maximum five-star safety rating for four generations of the Forester.